Only Six Days Left in February!

It's not that this February is so bad, there's just so much snow and it won't stop. I'm trying to remember what past years were like. Definitely not the weather we've had this month. The roof is so thick with snow, I turn my head when I see it. What is that passage, "don't worry about anything, just pray about everything". I am trying not to worry.

Looking back at February photos in other years, we've had ladybugs flying all around inside the summerhouse. It was just lovely, heartwarming. "Spring is on it's way!" The days were getting longer. Anxious to get out and do what ladybugs do, they would be thick on the windows.

........But no sign of them yet.

However the peas for pea shoots have sprouted, and the Opal Basil I started, to cut for micro greens, have as well.

The onions have been slow, but not the leeks. I think I am going to bite the bullet and get a heating pad for seed starting. Does anyone have good luck with theirs?

Meanwhile, I plan to take another ceramics course from Marla Benton in Mahone Bay to help me get through this month. If I can't harvest peas right now, I can make them! Hopefully the next few will be an improvement. So difficult to know how glazes will react. There's room for more if you are interested.

Spring Thoughts

Outside, the snow is almost at the top of the garden gate, but inside, seeds planted a few days ago, are warm and cosy. The earliest packets opened are leeks and onions although, generally I don't start onions as we have Egyptian Walking Onions, perennial in their own way.  But every spring I regret that decision especially last year when I bought some Ailsia Craigs from a local vendor in Tantallon. He was kind enough to share the variety name and I await the seeds. You know how you read some onions are so sweet you can eat them out of hand, well that's how I felt about those Ailsia Craig Onions apparently named after a perfectly round island off the coast of Scotland ;-). But, as I had some New York Early and Northern Lights leek seed, the urge to plant now prevailed. They are on their way to sprouting.

This dead part of winter is when I crave fresh green pea shoots so I've started a pot of those as well. As I've written about how I do this, you might want to go to this older post of mine here if you are interested to try.  When they sprout and grow a bit, will post a photo. Although I am trying to be a bit more frugal with seed buying this year, a trip to Halifax Seed Company is always in order, especially when friend blogger Marguerite comes over from Prince Edward Island. It's our go to place to enjoy and share together, when we can make it happen.  So here's what jumped into my pockets and before anyone says anything about the packet of squash and my plan to not grow any this year...in my defense I have to say, it is considered a compact variety.  Well we will see about that heh!

The excitement builds with the handling of every packet. Are those Northern Lights leeks really going to be that blue? And will the peas really be ready in three weeks? Where will I put the Sunshine Squash now that I've committed to growing it?

If you have the same snowstorm today we are having, and winter is getting you down, down, down.....think Spring green thoughts and maybe enjoy getting your seeds out, and your hands dirty inside where it's snug and warm.